Sorry, but it is for a tattoo. My girlfriend wants it. I know most people think it's silly. The Japanese don't do it. It's sort of like tattooing random english words on yourself to anyone who can read Japanese. Japanese or English, I don't think it really makes a difference. It means something to her, and is more aesthetically pleasing. Having a tattoo that says beloved in English would not be bad, so why not in Japanese?

If she wants "beloved" she should choose another character. 大切 means important or valuable. Beloved is 愛しい.

Seriously though, try to talk her out of it. Getting a tattoo in a language you (and the tattooist) can't read is a bad idea, especially since if the tattooist can't read it they may well put it on backwards or upside down or add flourishes that look cool, but completely change the meaning/balance of the character.

Steve_Poppers wrote:Oh, thank you so much! I tried messing with fonts but didn't work.

Sorry, but it is for a tattoo. My girlfriend wants it. I know most people think it's silly. The Japanese don't do it. It's sort of like tattooing random english words on yourself to anyone who can read Japanese. Japanese or English, I don't think it really makes a difference. It means something to her, and is more aesthetically pleasing. Having a tattoo that says beloved in English would not be bad, so why not in Japanese?

Because those two kanji don't say beloved.. The closest they come to is as Becki-san mentioned.. valued or important.. In the end, it's her body, but if that's the case, she'd be better off getting a mural rather than just kanji..

I actually somewhat like kanji tattoos. A majority of the time, I can identify the individual characters, but when I can't, I put the effort into learning them. Then they get ingrained deeply into my memory, especially if it's some one I have to deal with on a regular basis. For example, I am now more familiar with the character 盟 because I saw it on someone's back at work and had to look it up.

Most of the time, the tattoos won't make any sense, even in Chinese, but I take it as a pop quiz. If they get something ridiculous tattooed on them, then that's even more entertaining. So go ahead and find the kanji combinations for "big useful", "victorious hand", or even "horse and deer" for those lovers of nature.

Jeez, people, be nice to the guy. If his girlfriend wants a Japanese tattoo and the choice isn't good, then help him find a good one.

Look, man, 大切 probably doesn't mean what you think it does. The best tattoos that have to do with love contain the kanji 愛, which I'm sure you're familiar with.

I have this kanji tattoo book (it's in Spanish, called: "Kanji para Tatús") and it says (I'm translating) in page No. 42:

"This is one of the most beautiful love-related tattoos. The first kanji means "the same". The second kanji is somewhat vague and it signifies attachment, physical or otherwise. In this context it means spiritual attachment or "soul". The third kanji is the ever-popular "love" kanji. The meaning of the whole compound is "soulmate" (same+soul+love)"

I know that it also means valued or important, which we both think is also appropriate. As long as the artist follows the image, there should be no reason for this to go wrong. I'll explain all this to her, and show her the site, but even I can't stop her from getting what she wants. I've seen that site before, thanks for reminding me of it.

Again, "beloved/valued/important." All good for what we're looking for.

tanuki wrote:Jeez, people, be nice to the guy. If his girlfriend wants a Japanese tattoo and the choice isn't good, then help him find a good one.

Look, man, 大切 probably doesn't mean what you think it does. The best tattoos that have to do with love contain the kanji 愛, which I'm sure you're familiar with.

I have this kanji tattoo book (it's in Spanish, called: "Kanji para Tatús") and it says (I'm translating) in page No. 42:

"This is one of the most beautiful love-related tattoos. The first kanji means "the same". The second kanji is somewhat vague and it signifies attachment, physical or otherwise. In this context it means spiritual attachment or "soul". The third kanji is the ever-popular "love" kanji. The meaning of the whole compound is "soulmate" (same+soul+love)"